Curiosity

RF has become much more curious in the last few weeks. I'm not sure if it's the Hawk in him or just the developmental stage but everything is interesting to him - his hands, our hands, the dogs, his books, the TV remote, even the loaf of bread on the counter. We've found ourselves starting to push everything back on the table/counter so that things are out of his reach.

We've always talked to RF - not in the baby-talk sort of way, but actually talked to him. We tell him what we are doing - if we're putting laundry in the washer or cooking dinner or sweeping up dog hair. We count, we sing our ABC's, we read, and lately we have begun to begin explaining things to him. We explained that we clap when we hear something that we like, that we say "thank you" and "please" to be polite, and today I found myself explaining that he couldn't grab the handle to a pan that was on the stovetop (it wasn't hot - the stovetop wasn't on) because it would hurt him. He's only six months old...we're weird. I know. I suppose it's the teacher in me wanting to teach him everything I can from the cause/effect of touching a pan on the stove to identifying animals and colors in his books. 

Look what I can do, mama...

If only I was a little bit taller...

What TV remote? I don't have the TV remote...

The camera in my hands is more interesting than his toys

Half Birthday

6 Months 

or 

26 weeks 

or 

182 days 

or 

4,368 hours 

or 

262,080 minutes 

or 

15,724,800 seconds 

of pure, unconditional, perfect L-O-V-E... 

Happy half birthday, my sweet little boy. 

4/24/13

3/24/13

2/24/13

1/24/13

12/24/12

11/24/12

10/24/12

The One Without Any Photos*

This past weekend was one that was largely 'unplugged' for us and it was d-i-v-i-n-e.

I was taking a photo of RF a few weeks ago and RA made a comment that resonated with me - he said, "You know you don't have to photograph everything he does, some things are ok to just remember." In the moment I was a little taken back - I wanted to remember everything and I thought that photographing those moments was the way to remember. But recently I have come to realize that being in the moment - truly IN the moment - provides a memory that is more powerful than a photograph.

Don't get me wrong - we have thousands of photographs of RF (yes, I do actually mean thousands...). Capturing his facial expressions, his movements, and his 'firsts' digitally is extremely important not only for us, but also important for RF. We want him to be able to look back at these times of his life one day and see all the fun, silly, and exciting things that he did. But more importantly we want to be parents who are making memories with our son, not just capturing the memories in a photo, but capturing them as a family, with our presence.

So aside from one photo on Saturday (I have so many photos of RF sleeping, but for some reason I can't not photograph him while he sleeps...it is so pure, so sweet, so...everything), I put down the camera this weekend and enjoyed being IN the moment with my little family.

We spent Saturday working around the house - cleaning and organizing and ordered a pizza for dinner before settling in to watch our family movie of the week - this week's choice Cleopatra. I am quite ashamed to say, as a history teacher, that I have never seen the whole movie.

Sunday we slept in and enjoyed a lazy, rainy morning. RF and I sat on the front porch and watched it rain for a little while before meandering back upstairs and snuggling up for a good ole' nap. RA and I had a first with RF this weekend - the first time in five and a half months that we both have been in a restaurant with him and only the second time since he was born that RA and I have eaten in a restaurant together. Some might find that bizarre, but we are the home-body type and proud of it. We all enjoyed ourselves at lunch and everyone that passed our table commented on either a) RF's cuteness or b) RF's good behavior - proud parents, definitely proud parents. Later Sunday afternoon we made our weekly grocery run as a family and of course, RF handled being out and about like a champ.

We are a bit overwhelmed by the fact that RF is a little over a week away from being six months old, but we are so excited to be able to watch RF grow each and every day.

*My friends who are "Friends" fans will understand the title of this post.
**For those of you who aren't "Friends" fans, do a Google search of 'Friends episode list' and you'll get it. :-)

Nom Nom Nom :-)

Baby food...homemade baby food. I have to admit, I was super skeptical about this whole 'make your own baby food' thing, but this past week I had time to try it out since RF is approaching 6 months. We got the go-ahead from our pediatrician at our last appointment, but I just wasn't quite ready for my baby to be eating food...real food. 

We started with some of the basic rice cereal, which RF was not a huge fan of, but he did well 'eating' it - mainly licking the spoon. After a trip to Burris Farm Market last weekend I decided to try a few new foods to see if RF liked them any better - we bought sweet potatoes, an avocado, plums, pears and apples. So far RF has tasted sweet potatoes and avocado - both of which he enjoyed. 

Saturday morning I woke up early to try a new breakfast-type food with him - oatmeal. I have never liked oatmeal, but after some reading about making your own baby food oatmeal seemed to be the consensus on a good first breakfast food. My research suggested using steel cut oats and milling them yourself before cooking the oatmeal. Luckily we got a Baby Bullet as a baby shower present so I went to work milling the oats, cooking them and then pureeing them with plums. 

He loved it and I mean L-O-V-E-D it. Instead of just licking the spoon he actually ate it this time. So, even though I have only made three foods, YEA for homemade baby food!